Adapting to Change
by Kizmet
Summary: [UltX] Random Walk 5: After leaving the XMen Remy returns to New Orleans and even more changes in his life.
1. 1 of 5: News

**News**

Disclaimer: Characters and Premise are borrowed from the Marvel, I'm not making any money.

Standing in the shadows Remy watched the approaching pair. He hadn't expected them to be here, hadn't even imagined they'd been working together to rescue him. Jean-Luc, his guardian, patriarch of the Thieves Guild and Belladonna his girlfriend, second heir to the rival Assassins Guild working together, for his sake. It made him feel a spark of guilt for being grateful for the lingering results of Warren's truth serum, guilty for being glad for his heighten awareness of the emotions of people around him. Once he'd told Jean it wasn't trust if she had to read a person's mind first, but Remy had never aspired to being a trusting person, not when experience told him paranoia would keep him alive longer and yet he wished he could trust them like he had just a week early. 

The X-Men has taught him to trust. First Scott and Logan had gotten past his defenses and after that it had been like a chain reaction. Each new person who didn't turn on him made it easier to let the next in. Had he been even half as wary of the Guild as he'd been of the X-Men when he'd first come to them? But everything was different now, Scott was dead, it was Logan's fault, trust was for fools and idiots. 

Still Jean-Luc and Tante Mattie were different... "Non!" Remy cut off that line of thought with a shake of his head, he couldn't trust people just because he remembered loving them when he'd been little. Reluctantly Remy stepped out of the shadows. "Hey," he said a second before Belle pounced on him. 

Remy caught her in mid-air, spinning them around to pin her against the building. He wasn't overly surprised to feel the prick of her knife along his ribs. Sensing more concern than anger from her Remy ignored the knife to lean in and kiss her. 

"If yo' two be done?" Jean-Luc asked. "We ain't home free yet." 

"An' don' t'ink I ain't mad jus' 'cause I kissed yo'," Belle whispered in his ear. "Yo' could of tol' me yo' were in a mess." 

Remy shrugged, releasing Belle. "It seemed like de t'ing to do at de time," he said. 

"Dat suit of yours still bettah dan deir tech?" Jean-Luc asked. 

"Oui, mais dey got m' description. De cops checkin' everybody wantin' to leave de city." 

"I got contacts in de car for yo'," Jean-Luc said. "Dey be lookin' for yo' to try to hide yo' eyes wid sunglasses like yo' generally do. Yo' jus' look right at dem wid brown eyes like yo' got rien to hide an' we'll walk right pas' dem." 

"Course it ain't goin' to hurt dat all t'ree of us goin' to dye our hair, dress funny an' yo' can drop de accent can't yo' Remy?" Belle asked. 

"I can," Remy said, speaking a touch more slowly, forcing himself back into the mode of speaking Sinister had forced on him. "You have a place?" 

"A Guild safe house," Jean-Luc said. "M' sorry 'bout your friends Remy, mais 'm glad de raid didn' get yo'." 

"What raid?" Remy asked. 

" 'Bout an hour 'go, de news showed a picture of your Professor bein' hauled off. 'M not sure 'bout de others," Jean-Luc said. "De place looked pretty bad dough." 

"T'ink it serve dem right for bein' such fools," Belle commented. "Dis heroin' it ain't rien but doin' t'ings de hard way, de stupid way. Only a moron leaves an enemy dat's as troublesome as dat Magneto 'live when dey could've kilt him. Dere more dan 'nough people in dis world, it nevah hurts, getting' rid of de bad apples." 

"So says de petite assassin," Jean-Luc sighed. "Yo' are a blood thirsty chile aren't yo'?" 

Belle shrugged. "Jus' speakin' m' mind." 

Jean-Luc shook his head. "Remy, 'm sorry if yo' friends got hurt." 

"S'okay," Remy said. "Dere was no one dere I was t'inkin' 'bout anyways. Let's get out of here." 

****** ***** ****** 

A towel wrapped around her shoulders to keep her newly dyed hair from discoloring her clothes Belle slipped into the room Remy was using. 

He sat cross-legged on the bed, staring into a hunk of crystal Belle thought she recognized from the chandelier in the dinning room, his russet hair dyed an unmemorable shade of brown, contacts coloring his distinctive eyes a similar shade. 

"What yo' doin'?" Belle asked. 

The faintest trace of a blush staining his cheeks, Remy shoved the crystal behind his back. "It's a kind of meditation, help me control m' powers," he said shrugging. "Yo' wanted somet'ing? I mean yo' been watchin' me like yo' got somet'ing to say since yo' found me." 

Belle perched nervously on the bed opposite of the one Remy claimed. "Guess I have," she said. 

Remy waited. 

"Tante Mattie says 'm pregnant an' she tol' Daddy an' he's bein' really ole fashion 'bout dis an' me bein' unmarried an' since yo're de only boy who ain't scared of datin' me 'cause of Daddy bein an assassin an' all, mais..." Belle blurted out not looking at Remy. 

"I s'ppose he'll kill me if I don't propose," Remy said. 

"Non, 'm s'pposed to do dat," Belle replied blushing. "I know it's stupid an' antiquated mais we have fun together, I like yo' as well as anyone an' it ain't like we're goin' to raise de bebe or anyt'ing. I mean what am I s'pposed to do wid un infante? Plenty of people in de Guilds be 'dopted, won' be any big deal for Tante to fin' someone dat wants it, mais Daddy still wants me married. An' I don' want to kill yo' so jus' do it, neh?" 

"Hell, I don' have 'nough amies left to go 'round fightin' to de deat' wid any of dem," Remy sighed. "Dis ain't goin' to change t'ings? We'll still have fun, oui?" 

Belle launched herself at Remy, knocking him on his back. "If we'd fought who says yo'd've won?" She demanded one knee planted in the center of his chest. 

Remy yanked her the rest of the way down and rolled them over so he was on top, his hold on her much more friendly. "Who says I'd loose?" he asked. "Dis won' change t'ings will it Belle?" 

"Non," Belle replied stretching to kiss him. She continued in short breathy sentences punctuated by kisses. "Why would it? I don' want it to." 

"Bein," Remy murmured setting to work on the buttons on her blouse. "Be nice to have everyt'ing back like dis summer..." 

"Mais, might hate yo' for 'while, when dis pregnancy t'ing really kicks in," Belle warned pulling his shirt over his head. "Like I said, Tante'll figure out... somet'ing wid de bebe." 

"Den we'll jus' be us," Remy said. "Guess yo' want me to do dis proper..." He rolled off the bed and went down on one knee grabbing Belle's hand as she sat up, giggling. 

"Yo' could've waited a bit," Belle said her eyes gleaming. "I wouldn' of minded." 

Remy grinned. "Hush, 'M tryin' to do dis right. Let's see... Belladonna, yo' be de love of m' life an I can't live widout yo'..." 

"Points for honesty," Belle laughed. "Double points for makin' me threatenin' to kill yo' sound pretty." 

Remy pressed a finger to her lips. "Don' interrupt. Belladonna Boudreaux, would yo' do me de honor of bein m' bride... 'M supposed to give yo' a ring now right?" 

"Oui, of course... and oui 'bout de ring too, yo' can figure it out once we're home." 

"Why bothah waitin', dere be plenty of jewelry stores here," Remy said. 

"Dey be closed now," Belle said disinterestedly, pulling him off the floor and back on to the bed with her. 

"All de bettah," Remy replied. "I wasn't plannin' on buyin' yo' a ring, I am a t'ief after all." 

"Cher, dey be out to get yo' 'round here," Belle protested a delighted smile forming on her lips. 

"Gotta test de disguises don' I? Yo'll cover for me wid Jean-Luc, neh?" he said between pressing soft kisses to her palm, inside of her wrist, working his way up to the bend of her elbow. 

"Can't cover for yo'," Belle said squirming out from under him. "Goin' wid yo', how else yo' know if it fits? Put your shirt on." 

"Quoi?" Remy asked frowning up at her as she broke away from him. "T'ought yo' weren' in any hurry." 

"Dat was 'fore yo' were goin' to get me a pretty," Belle replied flipping dishwater blonde hair over her shoulder. "Come on, Jean-Luc was jus' headin' to de shower. He won' notice us bein' gone for leas' 'nother ten minutes." 

Home

Next

Please Send Feedback


	2. 2 of 5: Risks

**Risks**

Disclaimer: Characters and Premise are borrowed from the Marvel, I'm not making any money.

Belle frowned with concern as Remy hit the roof awkwardly stumbling and falling to his knees. "Yo' feelin' 'kay cher?" she asked pulling him to his feet. 

"S'rien," Remy insisted. " 'M feelin' bettah every day." 

"Dat's bien. Yo' jus' 'member: yo' almos' dyin' to get m' weddin' ring makes a bettah story dan if yo' actually go an' do it, not to mention weddin's bein' more fun dan funerals... mais, as a general rule." 

"What, it depends on de corpse?" Remy asked examining the alarm hooked up to the building's roof access. 

"Or de bride an' groom. Got roped into bein' a maid of honor for 'm Aunt Debra, seen plenty of corpses more lively dan dem, me. An' long! I t'ought dey'd be celebratin' dere first anniversary 'fore dey got 'round to de honeymoon. We're havin' a short weddin'." 

"An' hopefully a quick, clean get-away wid de ring," Remy commented. "Come on, I got de door." 

The teens slipped inside, Remy leading the way, scanning the room for further security measures. Seeing the faint sparkle of a laser beam several inches from the floor he held up a hand, stopping Belle. A second, more careful look revealed a second beam at chest height. Remy and Belle slipped between them easily, grinning at the poor security. 

The jeweler's safe on the other hand was top-notch. After spending more than a few minutes futilely trying to crack it and several more moments cursing at it, Remy charged the hinges and simply blew the door off. 

Belle smiled appreciatively then started pulling out trays and trying on rings. 

She paused to admire one with a large, sparkly stone then regretfully put it back. "It would catch on trigger guards," she explained. 

"Don' take all night," Remy said leaning back against the wall, keeping an eye on the front window. 

Belle stuck out her tongue at him. 

Remy caught sight of a slight figure in red and blue webbed with black checking the gloomy shopping center. "Bes' hurry," he said. "De fun's 'bout to start. Don' even t'ink 'bout doin' anyt'ing permanent." 

"Spoil-sport," Belle replied trying on another ring. 

By that point Spiderman had spotted them, "You know they have customer service during the day," he said. 

"Mais den dey'd 'xpect me to pay," Remy replied. "How yo' been, Spidah?" 

Peter stared at the other teen in confusion for a moment. "Gambit?" he asked uncertainly. 

"Oui, 'member I mentioned m' girl las' time, like yo' to meet her." Belle waved cheerfully. "She ain't got a codename so I can't introduce her proper," Remy continued. 

Peter shook his head, feeling like he'd walked into the twilight zone. "Gambit, you're..." he began, trying to get the confrontation back on track. 

"We jus' got 'ngaged," Remy said. 

Peter's mind jumped the rail. "Engaged, as in to be married?" he asked. 

"Jus' as soon as we get home," Belle interjected. 

"But you're like my age," Peter said. "Wow, I can't even figure out how to keep my girlfriends from wanting to kill me and you're getting married." 

"Maybe if yo' made it girlfriend, singular," Belle suggested. 

Peter felt himself blushing hotly. "Not like that, I didn't mean at the same time, just that they both get mad at me." 

"She threatened to kill me not an hour back," Remy said nonchalantly. "Dat be why we're getting married. Life wid her ain't goin' to be dull, mebbe short, mais not borin'." 

Belle shrugged unconcerned. "I like dis one, try de mate for size," she said tossing Remy a ring. 

"Hey!" Peter protested. "No stealing!" 

"Spidah, Spidah, Spidah, where's your sense of fun?" Remy asked trying on the ring, then tossing it back to Belle. "A little small," he said to her. Then turned back to Peter, "I know yo' wanna learn to hotwire a car." 

Peter blushed again, wondering how Gambit had known he'd been impressed by the other boy's feat from their earlier encounter. 

Belle traded Remy rings. 

"The paper blamed me for the statue you stolen," Peter complained. 

"I'll write dem a letter 'bout poor journalism," Remy replied. "Printed slanderous rumors, dey ought to be ashamed... Dis one fits." 

At that signal, Remy and Belle simultaneously sprinted for the door, as they came even with Spiderman, Belle dropped, sweeping his legs out from under him, while Remy landed a sharp kick to his chest. Peter bit back a curse, only then becoming aware that his spidersense had been screaming and he'd dismissed it without a thought. His surprise bought the pair more time than their maneuver had. 

Remy and Belle retreated across the rooftops, fearlessly hurtling themselves from one building to the next, as at home there as they would have been on the streets far below. 

"So, yo' got a plan?" Belle called back to Remy. "Since yo' vetoed killin'." 

"Non!" Remy exclaimed, thinking he should have kept talking. It would have been so easy to convince Spiderman to simply let them go, even considering the pain it cost him to lower his shields while his mind was still so raw, but more than that it had felt wrong to twist the other teen's emotions, especially since Spiderman was very nearly a friend. For a moment Remy's vision grayed out, a lingering effect of the drugs, the stress of using his powers and the adrenaline acting on his body, he stumbled as he landed, recovering himself a fraction of a second later. 

Behind them Spiderman was rapidly catching up. The next building loomed up before them, a fire escape zigzagging it's way down its face, a huge gap between it and the roof they currently were sprinting across. Belle dove toward it without a moments pause. Twelve steps behind her, Remy threw himself into the void. 

Amazed at their insanity, Spiderman perched on the ledge of the building they'd just abandoned and paused to watch the show. Five stories below and across the street, Belle's fingers found purchase on one of the fire escape's landings, she swung around like an acrobat and planted her feet against the side of the building. Her momentum still not spent, she arched backwards, releasing the landing to catch the railing on the level below. For a moment she held herself in a headstand, ten stories above the pavement then rolled onto the landing, safe and sound. 

A split-second before he would have duplicated Belle's feat, the strain of the last few days caught up with Remy again, a spell of dizziness so short it shouldn't have been worth mentioning occurring at just the wrong time. Instead of catching the landing with his outstretched hands, Remy collided with it, failed to redirect his momentum and a moment after his hands made contact with it so did his head. Bonelessly, Remy tumbled toward the street. 

"Remy!" Belle screamed, making a doomed attempt to catch hold of him as he fell. Above them, Peter felt horror twist his stomach into a knot, but even as guilt and fury shot through his mind his body reacted, he threw himself off the roof on an intercept path with Remy's body, using his enhanced strength to launch himself after the other teen in the desperate hope that he could make up the distance between them. 

Peter snagged Remy around the waist then they both slammed into the opposite wall, Peter doing his best to shield Remy from the impact. A second later Spiderman's wallcrawling abilities kicked in, overcoming gravity and leaving them hanging three stories about the street and twelve below where they'd started from. Peter's shoulder and knees ached from the impact with the wall, Remy hung limply from his arm. For a moment Peter was frozen by the realization of how close he'd come to seeing a friend splatter his brains across the pavement over a couple of rings, over nothing. 

"Remy?" Belle called again hopefully as she raced down the stairs and Peter crawled across the face of the building to the nearest landing. Remy's deadweight meant nothing to his strength, but the other boy was a head taller than Peter and an awkward burden. Remy began to stir weakly as Peter moved to lay him down. Belle dropped to her knees beside them, helping to support Remy. 

" 'M head..." Remy groaned, reaching up shakily to make sure it was still in one piece, his hand came away covered in blood, Peter and Belle flinched. 

"I'm calling an ambulance," Peter said his voice harsh, his hands shaking. 

Belle was up in a second, in Peter's face, a knife in her hands. "Yo' won'," she snarled. 

Peter grabbed her hand, squeezing until she had to drop the knife, not caring if he left bruise. "Why not?" He yelled. "Cause you'll get in trouble? I don't give a damn! It'd probably be good for you. I can't believe how moronic the two of you are. He almost died, he's probably got a cracked skull or a broken neck or something!" 

"Yo' don' 'stan'..." Remy said his voice slurred. 

"What don't I understand?" Peter demanded. "That you're an idiot and a criminal? What should I do? Let you go cause I like you? Read in the papers about you getting shot by some cop a few months later, or maybe about you killing some security guard or maybe a bystander who just got too close to one of your explosions?" 

"Yo' take him to a hospital he'll disappear, dey'll take him 'way," Belle said desperately. "De government's started takin' mutants 'way to some concentration camp." 

"Oh god," Peter said. "I didn't really think it would happen. Gwen asked and he, Scott I think, said he thought it could happened, but for real? I didn't think it could happen for real." 

"Scott's dead," Remy said flatly, not really knowing if they were even talking about the same Scott. 

"Mais, it did happen," Belle said. "Hospital's be out." 

"So what are we supposed to do?" Peter asked. 

"Oncle Luc," Remy said. 

Belle nodded in agreement. "I can hotwire de car, mais yo're goin' to have to get de door." 

"Tol' yo' pra'tice," Remy said. 

"No, we're not stealing any cars," Peter declared. "We'll call you're Uncle, he can come get us." 

Belle and Remy shared a look, "We're caught eider way," Belle said, extracting her cell phone. The conversation was brief and pointed, Peter heard a few colorful curses from the other end of the connection then Belle hung up. "He's on his way," she said. 

Peter leapt off the fire escape to perch on the sheer face of a vertical wall, staring out into the night. 

"No car," Remy commented to Belle quietly. 

For a moment she stared at him blankly, not following the train of thought his rattled brain had hinged on then she caught on. "Non, Jean-Luc flew up," she whispered, stealing a quick, amused glance at Peter. "What'd he t'ink if he knew yo're oncle be stealing a car hisself right 'bout now." 

"S' who still needs be tol' 'bout..." Remy trailed off, glancing toward Belle's stomach, his thoughts flitting from one topic to another at random. 

"Tante and Daddy know, like I tol' yo'. 'Lores and Singer, course..." Belle replied. "I t'ink Singer might of tol' Pierre, I tol' dem not to tell Lapin, he's a motor mouth." 

"Oui mais non, not 'portant stuff," Remy defended his friend. 

Belle made a face but didn't argue. "Daddy yelled a bit. Someone might've overheard, pro'ly bot' Guilds be gossipin' 'bout us 'fore we get home." 

"Weddin', dey be any case," Remy replied. 

"Oui, it's weird. 'M not 'mbarrassed, mais I am," Belle said then trailed off with the realization that Remy's attention had strayed. 

His disoriented gaze paused on Spiderman for a moment. "He be mad?" 

Belle glanced over at the young superhero sitting off by himself where neither of them could follow, the breeze carried the sound of him muttering indistinctly under his breath. "Oh oui, de'inately oui," she said. 

"Je desole," Remy said. 

"What?" Peter asked. 

"He says he's sorry," Belle translated. 

For a moment Peter didn't react, then he leapt back to perch on the rail of the fire escape. "Just try not to do it again," Peter said, choosing to ignore the traces of amusement in Belle's expression at that order. 

Below them a car pulled up in the alley. Belle stood, calling the tall, dark eyed man's attention with a low whistle. Lithely he jumped and caught the bottom rung of the fire escape's ladder pulling himself up like he did this sort of thing every day. He gave Spiderman a suspicious look. Belle shrugged, nodding toward Remy. "He trusts him," her gesture said. 

Jean-Luc frowned, then turned his attention to Remy, "What happened?" he asked. 

"They broke into a jewelry store," Peter began. 

"We were travelin' roof tops," Belle interrupted. "Don' know what went wrong, Remy didn' catch hisself. T'ink he 'bsorbed some of de force wit' his arms, mais he cracked his head." 

Jean-Luc nodded. "Remy, does your neck hurt?" he asked, stilling the teen's head when Remy tried to shake his head. "Talk, don' move till I've check it ain't broken," he said, feeling for damaged vertibrate or misalinment with fingers made sensitive by years of persuading locks and cracking safes. "Not as bon as Mattie's magic or even an X-ray, mais it'll have to do for now," he said after a few minutes then pulled out a small pen light and inspected the blood gash along Remy's scalp. 

"Yo' t'ink he'll need stitches?" Belle asked with concern. 

" 'M fine," Remy protested. 

"Non," Jean-Luc said to Belle. "Dere's more blood dan cut." 

Peter and Belle looked relieved, Remy was starting to look irritated. 

"They were trying to rob a jewelry store," Peter told Jean-Luc. 

"Take your contacts out, I need to look at your eyes," Jean-Luc instructed handing Remy a contact case as he helped him to sit up. "What year it is?" 

"Nin'y-nine," Remy replied shortly, the other two teens looked worried at his response. 

"Wid your eyes, dis is goin' to hurt," Jean-Luc warned, before using the penlight to check the response of the boy's pupils. 

Remy hissed in displeasure. 

"Yo're pro'ly concussed," Jean-Luc said. "I ain't sure how bad, mais dere ain't much we can do 'bout it 'xcept keep yo' from sleepin'. We're goin' to have to risk rien serious be wrong." 

"So what are you going to do?" Peter asked. 

Jean-Luc glanced over at the costumed crime fighter. "Yo' don' need to know. Bes' yo' go on your way now." 

"But about the store, don't you care?" Peter protested. 

Jean-Luc spun around, standing to glare down at the slight masked teenager, "Oui, yes I care! Dere are more 'mportant t'ings dan m' nephew actin' de fool an' tryin' to get hisself kilt, or captured. Makin' shor he don' succeed for one. Dis is none of your business. Leave!" 

"Spidah, merci," Remy said standing unsteadily. He glanced toward Jean-Luc, "I guess I jus' wasn' t'inkin' too clear tonight. Merci for keepin' me from dyin' 'cause of dat." 

"Yeah, well, you're welcome," Peter said shooting a web-line to the corner of an opposite building. "Could we not do this again?" 

The three Cajuns watched Spiderman disappear into the city. 

"Come on," Jean-Luc said, his voice kept level with an effort as he and Belle helped Remy down to the street. "De sooner Mattie can look at Remy de bettah." 

Home

Next

Please Send Feedback


	3. 3 of 5: Parents

**Parents**

Disclaimer: Characters and Premise are borrowed from the Marvel, I'm not making any money.

Jean-Luc stood stiffly on one side of the front room in his home. On the other side of the stairs Belle sat on the settee, her knees pulled up to her chest, looking miserable and scared. Remy's other friends hovered near her, stealing worried glances toward the stairs and by implication the room Tante Mattie and Delores had vanished into as soon as they'd been summoned. Henri and Mercy stood together speaking in hushed voices. Josette was conspicuous by her absence. 

After what seemed an eternity Tante Mattie came down the stairs. "Remy's goin' to be jus' fine wit' a little res' an' recovery," she said. A relieved sigh echoed around the room. 

"Can I see him?" Belle asked. 

"Not today chile," Mattie replied kindly. 

"Dat means yo' won' be sneakin' 'round an' climbin' in his window," Jean-Lu warned. " 'M sure Delores will let yo' all know when Remy's up for visitors. 'Til den, I t'ink it bes' if yoall' head back home." 

Lapin and Pierre looked stunned by their abrupt dismissal. Singer glared venomously at the Patriarch of the Thieves Guild, but Belle quietly walked out without protest. The rest of the little group followed her lead in Remy's absence. 

"Dat was uncalled for," Mattie said frowning at Jean-Luc. "Dey're his friends, dey're worried." 

Mercy and Henri quietly slipped away leaving their elders to their discussion. 

"It be dat femme's fault dis happened," Jean-Luc said. 

"As if Remy needs help getting' hisself into trouble," Mattie reprimanded gently. "Yo' did right gettin' him home so quick." 

Jean-Luc met Mattie's eyes for a moment the stress and fear of the last few days showing in his face. "We didn' even go back to de safe house, jus' stopped at a gas station to get de blood off Remy's face," he said. 

"We drove all night. 'Round t'ree we changed cars, took de new one from a rental agency, even spent de time to fill out deir records so dey wouldn' question it bein' gone. Dumped de firs' car 'bout twenty miles on down de road." 

"Belle an' I took turns drivin' an' keepin' Remy 'wake. I didn' tell dem, didn' wan' to panic dem, mais I knew Remy was in trouble. It was 'bout ten 'o clock de nex' mornin' when he tol' us he was feelin' nauseated. Remy's 'ttention started driftin'. Half de time I don' t'ink he knew where he was or what was goin' on. He talked a lot 'bout a Grey Crow, Logan an' 'bout his Scott dyin'... De boy may be an 'mpath mais he don' know how to deal wit' his own feelin's." 

"By four in de afternoon Remy started fallin' 'sleep, rien we did could keep him goin'. Dat's when I called yo'. De las' four hours, I 'xpected him to die any minute, I didn' know dat he'd evah wake up. Mattie, I t'ough I screwed up, I t'ought I cost him his life. If I'd taken him to a hospital dey would have treated him... after dat I don' know what would've happened, s' I took de chance and kept him close." 

"Yo' did right Jean-Luc," Mattie said. "He'll be fine." 

"It shouldn' 've happened. Remy's careful, he didn' survive s'long on his own by actin' de fool, dat didn' start 'till Belladonna come into de picture. An' rings, what de hell is dat boy t'inkin'." 

"Dat she's pregnant," Mattie said. "An' it ain't Belle's fault, de boy started feeling dat he had a safety net to fall back on. Dat be why he risks more now. It ain't all Belle's fault, or even Lapin's... De jet was Lapin's idea 'member?" 

"Hell," Jean-Luc swore. "We're not goin t'rough dis 'gain." 

"It won' be like Josette an' Armand," Mattie protested. 

"Cause dey ain't gettin' married." 

"Jean-Luc!" Mattie exclaimed hands on her hips. 

"No, I'll happily take 'sponsibilty for de chile, but dey ain't gettin' married, cause yo' know what de difference 'tween dem and Remy's parents might end up bein'? Dey'll bot' fight when t'ings don' work out, when it ain't s'easy dey'll fight. Wit' his powers an' history an' her trainin' dey'll kill each other." 

"We'll be dere for dem, we'll help dem t'rough t'ings." 

"Dey aren' ready for dis," Jean-Luc said forcefully. "Belle, she t'inks it be some sort of game gettin' Remy to risk his life. An' Remy, jus' a year ago he didn' even understand how to be a friend, de only 'xample of family he truly 'members is de one he ran 'way from when de abuse got too bad." 

"De Guilds live an' breathe tradition," Mattie replied quietly. "Marius will see Remy dead if dis weddin' don' happen. Beyond dat de alliance 'tween T'ieves and Assassins, it needs somet'ing like dis to cement it. Wit' de Benefactress gone, defeated, half our traditions are gone, de res' meanin'less. A weddin' 'tween de families, a chile wit' de blood of bot' Lebeau an' Boudreaux it be de oldest way to seal an alliance. Dis is 'xactly what de Guilds need to feel comfort in what yo' an' Marius be doin'. An' we'll be dere for dem, we'll make it work out." 

"S'Remy an' Belle an' deir chile get sacrificed to de Guilds' greater good," Jean-Luc said bitterly, but Mattie could see acceptance beneath his unhappiness. 

****** ****** ****** 

Josette paused for a moment outside the door to Jean-Luc's office. Catching the tail end of what, was for her, a familiar lecture drifting through the closed door she took a moment to think about it and realized today must be the day Mattie had released Remy from bed rest; Jean-Luc always waited until a person was back on their feet before laying into them about whatever actions might have put them there in the first place. 

Feeling oddly sympathetic toward her son, Josette decided to wait for him. 

When Remy emerged from the office several minutes later with a confused aura of embarrassment, regret and irritation hanging around him Josette offered him an understanding smile. "It's a hummer of a scoldin'," she said. "He got to refine it on me 'nough times, it should be." 

" 'M not like yo'," Remy said coldly. "We have rien in common." 

"Oh yo' aren't are yo'?" Josette sneered any sympathy she felt evaporating. "Sixteen, 'xpectin' a kid, gettin' married... sound familiar, neh?" 

"I'll be a bettah parent dan yo' were," Remy shot back. "S'not like yo' set de bar vera high." 

"If yo'd been born right..." Josette snapped. 

"Oh, s'dis time it's m' eyes, not 'cause 'm stupid or 'cause I backtalk or 'cause I 'ttract trouble or..." Remy broke off with a light, extremely fake laugh. "Josey-chere I've heard dem all an' I don' even 'member a time when I was naive 'nough to believe dem. As yo' said, 'M a mutant, Mother. A freak, devil spawn, what have yo', I can see inside yo'. Daddy didn' hurt us 'cause I was bad... he did it 'cause it made him happy. An' yo'... yo' a'ways were a liar. Miserable an' mad all de time, jus' waitin' for me to do somet'ing to give yo' de 'xcuse to start screamin'." 

"Yo' screwed up so much I nevah got de chance to get ovah de las' time 'fore yo' did somet'ing else," Josette spat. 

"Keep talkin' Josey, yo' a'ready got me half convinced dat Essex was a bettah parent to me dan yo'. He wanted me to be 'kay wit' mass murder shor, mais at leas' he could admit what he was." 

Henri leaned over the balustrade. "Could yo' two take it elsewhere?" he asked. "Mercy an' I got midterms to study for." 

As Remy brushed past Josette on his way to the door she hissed. "Why don' we talk 'gain in a year, when we've seen what sort of parent yo' turn out to be." 

Remy paused to turn back toward her. "I t'ink dat be a conversation I'll enjoy havin'," he said. 

Home

Next

Please Send Feedback


	4. 4 of 5: Preparations

**Preparations**

Disclaimer: Characters and Premise are borrowed from the Marvel, I'm not making any money.

Remy woke slowly to the languid heat of a New Orleans morning, the moist air cooled only marginally during the night and his skin already gleamed with a faint sheen of sweat. The sounds of Henri and Mercy's voices raised in cheerful banter drifted up from the kitchen below as they prepared breakfast. 

Remy heard footsteps passing by his door and the sharp creak as their owner stepped on the loose floorboard at the head of the stairs, he instantly recognized them as Josette's. His mother was the only member of the household not trained as a professional thief and consequently she walked heavy. For a few moments Remy amused himself by picturing the slender, lithesome woman being heavy enough to justify those footsteps. He started by comparing her walk to the utter silence of Jean-Luc's. His uncle was still an inch taller than Remy even after his growth spurt that summer and solidly built, Remy estimated he weighted 190 lbs easily. With that comparison in mind Remy decided Josette should weigh at least 300 lbs given the way she moved. Remy grinned to himself at his picture of her as a clumsy, lumbering elephant and made a mental note to call her that the next time they fought. 

Then Remy's mind jumped to trying to recall what sort of plans he and Lapin were working on and how much trouble he should be prepared for if they were caught. He wondered if he should seek out Belle or just be expecting her to ambush him. He decided against wearing his coat, it was already hot, more importantly Belle simply took too much delight in destroying his clothes and the coat was a gift. He could roll a pack of cards in his shirtsleeve for defense. 

Remy rolled out of bed and stretched, reluctantly opening his eyes to the day's first assault on his night-adapted vision. A beam of sunlight had snuck its way around the thick drapes in his room; it illuminated the two rings sitting on his nightstand like a spotlight. 

Remy bit his lip holding back a choked gasp of pain as the last few weeks crashed down on him with all the subtly of a wrecking ball through a house of cards. Barely two short weeks since he'd left New Orleans for Westchester but his whole life had been rearranged before he'd returned. 

Warren rising from his nightmares of the past like an avenging angel and dragging him into hell. Magneto's war against humanity unleashing their hatred of mutants to the point where an obvious mutant like Remy needed to fear mob attacks for simply appearing in public. Waking up imprisoned in some sort of medical lab... 

Remy's eyes clenched shut, holding back tears... Scott dead, Wolverine his killer. Remy's breath came in ragged gasps, pain and rage tearing at him equally. Hating Scott for dying almost as much as he hated Wolverine for killing him. His grief over Scott's death no less painful than the knowledge of Logan's betrayal. Logan had known he loved Scott like the older brother he'd never had. Logan had known that in spite of Remy's stubborn refusal to do anything Scott told him to without an argument his respect for the older boy had bordered on awe. Logan had to have known that killing Scott would destroy two of the cornerstones of the stable life Remy had slowly been forging for himself. Logan was his friend, mentor and confidant, but Logan wanted Jean and next to that Remy didn't matter. 

Remy wondered why he was even surprised. Grey Crow had been his friend and teacher as well; another hard-edged assassin who'd seemed to have a soft spot for him. It hadn't stopped the man from hounding him across the country at Sinister's command, even though Scaplphunter had known what the mad geneticist had planned for the boy. It hadn't stopped him from leaving Remy alone with Scrambler. 

Remy felt his power burning beneath his skin like acid, building like the water pressure in a blocked pipe, as his emotions spiraled out of control and he lunged for the crystal hidden beneath his pillow. It wasn't the one Essex had given him when he had first been fighting to control his powers, just a chunk of cut glass stolen from a chandelier but the cool weight of it in his hands was familiar and the hypnotic play of light in it's depths was close enough to fool his senses into believing it was the same. 

Remy sat cross-legged in his window seat, staring into the abstract depths of the crystal cradled in his lap, severing the ties between his emotions and his powers, pushing the emotions down into locked boxes at the back of his mind where the pain didn't matter, forcing his power back into the controlled streams of his blood from which he could call it at a moment's notice. 

Twenty minutes later Remy set aside the crystal, showered and got dressed in the suit Jean-Luc had bought for him only two days ago. Casually he scooped up the rings that had triggered the rush of memories thinking that, honestly Belle's pregnancy and their impending marriage wasn't anything next to the other changes in his life, just two more difference and not even bad ones. 

Remy met Lapin halfway down the stairs, the redhead looked disappointed to see him. "I was jus' comin' to wake yo'," Lapin said, explaining both his disappointment and the bucket of ice water in his hand. "Couldn' have yo' bein' late to your own weddin'. 'Specially not when yo' consider de bride's temperament an' profession." 

"An' yo're takin' your duties as bes' man very seriously," Remy said with a glance at the ice water. 

Lapin grinned and shrugged, unashamed. "I'll get yo' some other time," he said and the two teens headed downstairs together. 

"Yo' 'membered de rings?" Mercy asked as they entered the kitchen. Remy pulled them out of his pocket for her inspection. 

"Bes' hold on to dem yourself 'til jus' 'fore de ceremony," Henri advised. "Lapin misplaced his loot durin' his tillin'." 

"I went back for it," Lapin protested. " 'Sides yo' ain't s'posed to be pickin' on me today, Remy's de one gettin' married." 

"Where's Oncle Luc?" Remy asked. 

"He an' Josette went 'head to de church," Henri said. "Somet'ing 'bout makin' shor Boudreaux had t'ings set to keep de number of weapons to a bare minimum, jus' in case anyone forgets why T'ieves an Assassins be attendin' a joint ceremony." 

Remy nodded. "Guess I bes' be headin' over m'self." 

"Tante wanted me to remind yo', don' forget to eat," Mercy said, tossing Remy and Lapin each an apple. "Wouldn' do to have eider of yo' faintin' of hunger today." 

At the church Remy and Lapin were quickly herded off to one of the side rooms where they'd be out the way and out of trouble until the ceremony started. 

After a few minutes an elderly priest joined them to make sure they stayed put and out of trouble, Lapin thought. 

The old man affectionately ruffled Remy's hair. "I t'ought I seen yo' back in de congregation dese las' couple of months," he said. " 'M glad yo're home. I worried for yo' when Josette came back wit'out yo' an ' de family wouldn' say what had become of yo'. Jean-Luc jus' said he'd have yo' back. Not much for faith, that one, mais he does have a way of gettin' life to bend to him." 

Remy stared at the old man with polite confusion. 

"I s'pose yo' don' 'member me," the old man said. "I baptized yo', caused quite de stir... Mais ever'one was a'ready set to be stirred up; after all dere a'ways was a fuss when Josette was involved. Sweet chile mais a'ways in some mess or de other, a'ways de center of 'ttention. 'Tween de irregularities in her weddin' and some stuff an' nonsense 'bout yo're eyes... De new priest weren' well suited to dis parish, he weren' from 'round here, a'ways bettah to stick to natives in dese parts. Dere's more dan a few born unique. I worry 'bout dose ones, dey have a way of vanishin'... Called to de service of your Benefactress dey say. 'M not s'pose to know 'bout her, mais I lived in dis city for all m' life an' I know de ole beliefs. She be a demandin' one, it's bien, your clans throwed her off." 

Tante Mattie bustled in with a respectful nod to the old Priest. She briskly pulled Remy to his feet, a few tugs settled his suit to her satisfaction. "Yo' 'member de rehearsal?" she asked him as she set to re-fixing his tie. 

"Oui, I 'member Tante, stop fussin'," Remy sighed. "It's no big deal." 

Tante rapped the top of Remy's head sharply for that remark. "Dis be a very big deal boy," she told him turning her attention on Lapin. "Dis be de firs' unbreakable bond forged 'tween de United Guilds an' a scaret institution. S' yo' bes' be takin' dis serious. Yo' too Emil Lapin, no practical jokes, yo' understand me?" 

"Yes mama," Lapin replied promptly, Remy caught sight of the crossed fingers behind his best man's back and grabbed Lapin's wrist twisting it sharply. "No jokes durin' de weddin', honnete," Lapin swore. 

Tante Mattie's look was satisfied as to his sincerity. In the chapel the sound of organ music began. "Dat's your cue boys. Go on, Belle will be joinin' yo' shortly." 

As Remy took his place a distant tremor shook the structure. Remy was less concerned about it than the waves of hostility coming off of more than one member of the congregation. Apparently Tante Mattie wasn't the only one who saw his and Belle's wedding as a tool to cement the Guilds' alliance of necessity into a permanent unification and not everyone was in favor of that. Or maybe they just didn't like him. 

Then the music changed tempo and Belle appeared, hand resting lightly on her father's arm, beautiful and confident. 

A second tremor shook the chapel and the assembled Thieves and Assassins shifted warily exchanging concerned glances while hands superstitiously crept toward the weapons even Patriarchal decree hadn't separated them from. 

Jean-Luc drew Henri close for a moment. The younger man nodded then slipped out of the church with an apologetic look toward Remy. A moment later Belle's brother Julian made a discreet exit of his own. 

Marius moved to give Belle's hand to Remy. A third tremor, stronger than the other sent her tumbling into his arms instead. "Goddamn heels," Belle swore earning a disapproving look from the priest. She glanced down demurely. 

Remy set Belle back on her feet and Marius took his seat, the pair stood before the Priest, giving every impression of listening attentively despite the occasional tremor and the growing hint of smoke in the air. 

The doors to the church crashed open. "It be some of Magneto's troublemakers," Henri yelled. "Dey're destroyin' de city." 

Remy and Belle exchanged a quick look. "Yo' jus' wait here Fader," Belle said. "We'll be back shortly." Then she kicked off her heels and took off after Remy at a run, Lapin, Singer and Pierre quickly fell in behind their ring-leaders as Delores headed toward Tante Mattie. 

"De kids have de right idea," Jean-Luc said. "What are yo' waitin' for?" 

At his command the Thieves quickly took to the streets. 

"Dis is our city," Marius said. 

"Right!" Fifolet yelled. "Dey ain't de only ones wit' powers." 

"Who needs dem if yo' got skill?" Another Assassin yelled back as they headed after the Thieves." 

Home

Next

Please Send Feedback


	5. 5 of 5: Confrontations

**Confrontations**

Disclaimer: Characters and Premise are borrowed from the Marvel, I'm not making any money.

It wasn't hard to find the center of the problem, not when there was a dragon made purely of flames hovering over Bourbon Street. 

The teens gathered beneath it didn't look anywhere near as impressive. Six kids no older than Remy and his friends in ragged jeans and tee shirts each wearing a scarf with an 'M' on it tied around their upper arm. 

"Yo're not Magneto's normal crew," Remy said. "Not even dat bunch of fanatics callin' demselves his acolytes... I ran into dem once, dey los'." 

"You're a mutant too," a boy with longish brown hair, who appeared to be the gang's nominal leader, said. "Why aren't you with us?" 

" 'Cause I ain't some mindless wannabe wit' rein bettah to do wit' m' time dan knock down buildin's... dat was one of yo' makin' de earthquakes, neh?" Remy replied. 

The boy stretched out a hand toward Remy in reply and the earth heaved in response. Remy and Belle rode out the waves like surfers. "This seemed like as good a way as any to get the big man's attention. Destroying one of their historic cities." 

"Bad choice, dis be our city," Belle said. "An' dere hell to pay for messin' wit' it, wit' us." 

"As if you could stop us flatscan," a red-haired teen standing at the earth-shaker's shoulder laughed. "Haven't you heard the news? Your race is joining the dodo." 

At his gesture the fire dragon blew a mouthful of flames at a nearby building only to have it's fire met by a blast of water from a fire hose. As the dragon died under the deluge of water Singer and Pierre waved cheerfully. 

"Rusty!" the fire-wielder yelled and a younger boy, twelve or thirteen by Remy's estimation, sent a gout of flame toward the fire- wielder. 

"Separate dem!" Remy yelled. Pierre and Singer turned the hose on Rusty, not quite managing to put out his fire, but effectively driving him away from the red-haired teen. 

"I hope yo're powerless on your own," Lapin said diving at the fire-wielder. He drove his shoulder into the other teen's stomach, further separating him from the younger fire-starter. 

"Leave him alone!" a young girl yelled diving into the stream of water directed at Rusty. It parted around her as if sheeting off a fresh wax job. 

Several more Guild members joined the fray, helping Lapin carry his target further from the rest of the gang. 

"Pyro!" the earth-shaker yelled. 

"No worries," Pyro yelled back, digging a lighter out of his pocket. 

A flick of the lighter and a wall of flames drove back the Guild members. 

"Hell!" Lapin swore. "Guys, water!" 

The earth-shaker turned his attention back to Remy and Belle, this time his quake knocked both of them off their feet. Remy threw a charged card into the ground at his feet, returning the favor. 

****** ****** ****** 

Henri Lebeau found himself facing off against a dark skinned girl with cropped hair. "I hate hittin' a lady," he began, she just grinned. Henri shrugged, threw a punch then started cursing, cradling a potentially broken hand to his chest. "Dat'll teach me to forget m' manners," he muttered. "A little help here!" 

****** ****** ****** 

As soon as the fire hose was off the youngest members of the gang the pair regrouped and started looking to see which of their friends was in the most trouble. 

" 'Lo petites," Jean-Luc said quietly. "Why yo' causin' dis fuss?" 

The boy's flames brightened as he stepped protectively in front of his friend. 

" 'M not out to hurt yo'," Jean-Luc said. "Jus' a mite protective of m' home. Yo' understand dat don' yo'?" 

"All humans want to hurt us," the girl said. 

"Skids don't talk to him!" Rusty cried. 

Jean-Luc ignored the boy's outburst. "Did I come to your home, threaten yo'?" he asked. " 'Sides if we were out to hurt mutants yo' really t'ink m' nephew, de one wit' de strikin' eyes, would've been s' quick to oppose yo'?" 

"Magneto says it's our world now, we don't have to hide or be scared of you any more!" Skids yelled petulantly. 

Jean-Luc sighed. "Do yo' hear anyt'ing I say?" he asked. "Yo' barkin' up de wrong tree chile. M' clan, m' family 'ncludes bot' human an' mutant... An' WE wan' no part of your Magneto's fool war. We all get 'long jus' fine." 

****** ****** ****** 

Fifolet blinked in amazement as his fist passed through the scowling blonde girl he was faced off against. "I didn' do dat!" he exclaimed. 

****** ****** ****** 

Belle yelled a warning to Remy. As one of the tremors threatened to bring a building down on top of him. 

The russet haired teen dove for a nearby alley hoping to find shelter from the falling masonry as his bride tossed a knife at the source of the earthquakes. The unstable footing through off Belle's normally impeccable aim leaving the dark haired teen bleeding heavily from a wound to the shoulder rather than dead from a knife to through his heart. 

****** ****** ****** 

Lapin and several other Guild members were in the process of tying up the drenched Pyro while checking his pockets for any other incendiary devices. 

****** ****** ****** 

Henri commanded an increasingly large number of Guild members to dog pile on the gang's invulnerable strong woman gradually turning the tide of the battle against her. 

****** ****** ****** 

Remy stared at the pile of rubble separating him from the battle trying to decide if it would be quicker to climb over or go around when an ice cold blast of hate brought him spinning around, a fan of cards held defensively before him. 

Julien smiled slowly, madness glinting in his dark eyes. "Did yo' honestly t'ink I'd 'llow ma soeur to marry a man born wit'out de Goddess' blessin' an' a half caste T'ief at dat?" 

"How hard did I hit yo'?" Remy asked in disbelief. "Your 'Goddess' is rien mais a teke on an ego-trip who we barbequed only a few months back." 

"A god can't die," Julien replied, raising a hand palm outward. 

Remy swore as some sort of energy beam erupted from Julien's hand. "Belle won' be 'ppriciatin' us, eit'er of us, dyin' on her weddin' day," he pointed out. "I wouldn' t'ink bein' de survivor of dis fight be much of a prize." 

"It be a battle," Julien said with a shrug. "Who's to say how yo' died." 

Remy dodged another blast and used a card to tumble Julien from his perch. " 'Member las' time? Yo' los'. Dis won' time won' be any differen'." 

"Oh dis is gonna be all different," Julien said firing another blast at Remy. 

He twisted to one side; letting the beams shoot past him then tackled Julien. 

Julien struggled, pinned beneath Remy. "Yo' can't win," he cried. "De Benefactress loves me, she promised me!" 

"Yo' loosin' it homme," Remy said, pressing a glowing card to Julien's throat to discourage struggling. 

"She rose from de dead! She is de real t'ing!" Julien insisted. "She will give me what she promised." 

"What did she promise yo'?" Remy demanded. 

"Power," Julien said grinning. "An' dat yo' an' m' sister's bastard chile won' be born." 

The card in Remy's hand blazed like a miniature sun. "Dat bettah not be a t'reat," Remy said coldly. "Yo're not de only one who can make accidents happen." 

Remy jumped to his feet, tossing Julien away from him as he threw the card into the air. 

They both hit the ground, throwing their hands over their heads to shield themselves from the blast. 

Julien looked from the scorched building faces above them to Remy. "Mon Dieu," he swore noting the blast radius from a single card. 

Remy stood slowly. "De power, it be gettin' stronger. If I were yo', I'd leave me an' Belle 'lone, neh?" 

****** ****** ****** 

Fifolet and the formerly scowling blonde traded ineffectual blows, two ghosts, not quite in phase passing through one another trying not to laugh at the absurdity of the situation. 

****** ****** ****** 

Henri watched his prisoner struggling futilely against four sets of handcuffs, yards of rope, several chains and nearly a six rolls of duct tape. 

****** ****** ****** 

Pierre and Singer stood ready with the fire hose, waiting for Jean-Luc's signal. 

"What yo' want wit' followin' a madman like Magneto. Yo're jus' kids, do yo' really want to be killin' people?" Jean-Luc asked. 

"We don't want to be hunted anymore," Rusty said. "Sentinels, hate groups, now the government says we have to them who we are and how they can hurt us or else we're criminals... What are they going to use that stuff for? To Arrest us? Cage us? Kill us?" 

"I wouldn' be registerin' m'self," Jean-Luc said. " 'Course hangin' up a sign dat says 'disruptive mutants be here' ain't what I'd be doin' eider." 

"Magneto will find us," Skids said. 

****** ****** ****** 

A ring of thieves and assassins crawled toward the gang's dark haired leader as the very earth tried to throw them back. Blood oozed between the teen's fingers as he fought to stem the flow from the wound Belle had inflicted. With a low moan he collapsed to his knees. 

"Lance!" Skids cried as she and Rusty tried to go to his aid. 

Fifolet's opponent suddenly turned deadly serious moving through the battle like a specter she dashed to Lance's side. Even as the Guilds closed in on them they held a quick conference then the girl turned and fled. 

"Get out of here!" Lance yelled to Rusty and Skids. "Scanner'll explain!" 

As the young friends paused indecisively a blast of water knocked Rusty off his feet, his head cracked against the sidewalk and he lost consciousness, his flames died away. 

Biting back tears Skids fled. Hands intended to restrain slid ineffectually off her frictionless skin. Powerless to stop her the Thieves stood back and watched her flee. An Assassin drew a bead on the back of her head; Lapin deflected the man's shot into the air. 

"Stupid T'ief, she got 'way!" the Assassin snarled reaiming his gun at the young thief's chest. 

"De femme's not even thirteen," Lapin protested angrily. 

"Dey were goin' to destroy our home!" the Assassin snapped. 

Mercy laid a knife against the side of the Assassin's throat. "Dey'll be no killin' today," she said. " 'Less yo' volunteer to go second." 

"Assassins don' take prisoner," Marius said his voice raised to carry across the erstwhile battlefield. "Dey be yo're problem Jean- Luc. Dey bust up de city 'gain an' I hol' de T'ieves 'sponsible." 

"D'accord," Jean-Luc replied. "Mattie, see to it dat boy don' bleed to death. Theoren, when she be done get dem back to de house, do whatevah yo' t'ink necessary to make dem secure den see to it dey get some food. Remy, ain't yo' got somewhere to be?" 

****** ****** ****** 

The bride's dress was darkened with ash; the groom's suit was torn and covered with dirt. The church ceiling sported a nasty crack and the congregation sported fresh bandages. 

The priest decided to forgo his sermon and married Belladonna Boudreaux and Remy Lebeau with all due haste to free the wedding party up so they could return to the work of clearing away the evidence of the battle. 

****** ****** ***** 

"Mais no one can say our marriage didn' start wit' a bang," Belle said chuckling softly as she snuggled into Remy's arms. 

Uncertain of where they were expected to live now that they were married they'd ended up spending the night in Belle's secret nitch behind the church's angel. 

"Do yo' t'ink I made a mistake not killin' Julien when I had de chance?" Remy asked. 

"I can take care of mon frere," Belle said. "If he needs killin' I'll do it." 

Remy nodded feeling relieved. "Don' turn your back on him Belle, I t'ink he be crazy." 

"Mebbe," Belle said. "I don' want to talk 'bout dis." 

Remy pulled her closer, wrapping the blanket they'd found in the church around them more tightly. Together they fell asleep watching the stars come out. 

Remy woke to the feel of Belle carefully untangling herself from him. "Where yo' goin' s' early?" he murmured sleepily. 

"I don' want to go s'soon," Belle whispered leaning in to kiss him. "Mais, I got a job, m' first solo." 

"Stay," Remy said catching her wrist. 

"Dis was set up 'fore I even knew 'bout de bebe," Belle said. "Dis is m' rite of passage, if I screw it up I won' be an Assassin." 

"Would dat be s'bad?" 

Home

Next

Please Send Feedback


End file.
